Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Title: The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary

Author: Simon Winchester

First Published:

No. of Pages: 288

Synopsis (from B&N): "Part homage to the greatest reference work of all time, the Oxford English Dictionary, part mystery, part intellectual history of Victorian England, The Professor and the Madman tells the parallel stories of the dictionary's genius editor and one of his most prolific contributors, an insane American doctor committed to an asylum for murder."

Fiction or Nonfiction: Nonfiction

Comments and Critique: An interesting behind-the-scenes look at the making of arguably the best dictionary ever created. The author has a light, conversational tone. The book does not go very in-depth into the main characters, however, and I found the author's other title, The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary, a better overall read. In fact, I wouldn't recommend this one unless you also read the other, as this has more of a supplemental feel to it.